An Account of the Dispute between Russia, Sweden & Denmark, and Great Britain/Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Character of the Emperor Alexander.
IT may not be unpleaſing to the reader that we introduce here the character of the preſent emperor, while he was Grand Duke, as given by an ingenious foreigner, from whoſe works is taken that of Paul.
He inherits from Catharine an elevation of ſentiment and an unalterable equality of temper: a mind ⟨juſt⟩ and penetrating and an uncommon discretion; but a reſerve and circumſpection unſuitable to his age, and which might be taken for diſſimulation, did ⟨it⟩ not evidently proceed rather from the delicate ſituation in which he was placed between his father and grandmother, than from his heart, which is naturally ⟨frank⟩ and ingenuous. He inherits his mother’s ſtature and beauty, as well as her mildneſs and benevolence, while in none of his features does he reſemble his father, and he muſt certainly dread him more than ⟨love⟩ him. Paul, conjecturing the intentions of Catharine in favour of this ſon, has always behaved ⟨coldly⟩ towards him; ſince he discovers in him no reſemblance of character, and no conformity of taſte with himſelf: for Alexander appears to do what his ⟨father⟩ requires of him, from a principle of filial duty ⟨rather⟩ than compliance with his own inclinations; His ⟨humanity⟩ has acquired him the hearts of the ⟨ſoldiers⟩ his good ſenſe the admiration of the officers: he ⟨is⟩ the conſtant mediator between the autocrat and ⟨thoſe⟩ unhappy persons who, by some trifling neglect, ⟨may⟩ have provoked imperial wrath and vengeance. ⟨The⟩ Young Prince requires not the dignity of grand duke of Ruſſia to inſpire ſentiments of love and ⟨intereſt⟩; nature has richly endowed him with the ⟨moſt⟩ amiable qualities, and his character of heir to ⟨the⟩ greateſt empire in the world, cannot render them indifferent to humanity. Heaven, perhaps, may ⟨have⟩ deſtined him to render thirty millions of people ⟨more⟩ free than they are at preſent, and more worthy of ⟨being⟩ ſo.
His character, however, though amiable, is ⟨paſſive⟩ He wants the courage and confidence to diſcover ⟨the⟩ man of merit, always modeſt and unobtruſive; and ⟨it⟩ is to be feared, that the moſt importunate and impudent, who are generally the moſt ignorant and ⟨vicious⟩, will find leaſt difficulty in procuring acceſs ⟨to⟩ him. Yielding too eaſily to the impulſes of others, ⟨he⟩ does not ſufficiently conſult his own heart and ⟨underſtanding⟩. He appears to have loſt his reliſh for inſtruction, on loſing his maſters, and eſpecially ⟨colonel⟩ L'Harpe, his firſt preceptor, to whom he owes all ⟨the⟩ knowledge he has acquired. A premature ⟨marriage⟩ may have contributed to diminiſh his energy; and ⟨it⟩ is probable that, notwithſtanding his good ⟨qualities⟩ he will become in time the dupe of his courtiers, ⟨and⟩ even of his valets.
FINIS.
| Air, Printed by | |
| J. & P. Wilson, 1802. |
